This year, I was very lucky to be given the housing assignment I was. There are numerous horror stories circulating the English teachers community in Asia about accomodations they have been expected to live in ranging from pest infestations to mold. I was preparing for the worst, so when my co-teacher opened the door to what would be my home for the next year, I had to stop my jaw from hitting the floor. You can see my apartment in more detail under the Korea tab on this page, but in one word it's fabulous. I am very lucky.
Living in a loft though, there are some interesting situations that come up once and awhile that I would never have thought of being problems previously. Lack of storage is one, changing lightbulbs is another, but most recently, a new "problem" has literally kept me up at night.
Looking at the above picture you can see where the kitchen is. Now, imagine the bathroom space behind it. Stacking apartment on apartment means that my upstairs neighbour's bathroom and kitchen are over my sleeping area. I had never really given this any thought until a night earlier this week where I laid awake in insomniac mode: eyes wide open, foot twtiching is anxious anticipation of falling asleep. In the early hours of the morning, thinking I was finally feeling drowsy, I closed my eyes. Just as I did so, I hear footsteps above me. And then the unmistakable sound of someone taking a tinkle.
My eyes immediately sprung back open as I realized the proximity of my neighbour relieving themselves, and felt slightly flustered by overhearing this generally private time. In sleepless delirium, I started to have visions of the ceiling (2 feet from my face) giving way, and my neighbour and their toilet crashing down on me in an accident of the most unfortunate sort.
Unable to erase the potential scene from my mind, I scooped up my blankets, made my way downstairs and collapsed on the couch which is at least 14 feet away from the ceiling and any of my neighbours peronal business. Since then, I have gone back to sleeping with earplugs, and have had peaceful, potty-sound-free slumbers since.
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Recently Updated...03.25 - Two posts! About Me...Out and about in the world, teaching others and educating myself. Stuff I Like...Traveling. Cuddling a cat. New toothbrushes. Friends. Socks of the Joanne Younes variety. The smell of sun-dried laundry. Baking. Archives
March 2008
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